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Bestival 2018 | Festival Preview

Bestival is back at its Lulworth Estate home in 2018, with yet another killer line-up ready to take England’s south coast by storm.

The Rob da Bank curated event, which he organises in conjunction with his wife, Josie, has long been a go-to for many music fans; fans who like to dip their toes into the crystal clear waters of both electronic music and indie music.

The success of the brand has seen it popping up internationally, with stints in Toronto and Bali taking place during the past 3 years. From August 2nd – 5th, artists from across the globe will be wowing audiences at Bestival. Let’s take a look at what is going down…

What happened last year?

Well, every year Bestival has a different theme, and 2017’s edition went with a pretty general one; colour. Obviously, this gave them the excuse to go all-out on the most visually arresting production they could possibly imagine.

The headline acts were Jamie T, The xx, and A Tribe Called Quest, over the three consecutive days of the festival. Plenty of additional acts played too, of course, some of whom included the likes of Soul II Soul, Annie Mac, Circa Waves, and Dizzee Rascal. Check out the video from last year to get a taste of the kinds of things in store in 2018.

Who’s Playing?

You’ve got a pretty busting line-up whether you sit on the ‘live music’ or ‘DJ’ sides of the fence. If you straddle both, you’re going to have some serious planning to do! The Bestival 2018 line-up is like a who’s who of ‘hot right now’, with both established and emerging artists getting a fair rep on the roster; something that Bestival has always done well.

You’ve got some biiiiig names going on this year, with Charlotte de Witte, Bicep, and Amelie Lens all appearing to represent their sound, on the back of fairly recent – yet astronomical – success. Acts who achieved notoriety years ago are also repping, with Faithless, Norman Jay MBE, and Goldie‘s Metalheadz making themselves known.

In terms of more ‘live’ acts (as opposed to DJ), you’re spoilt for choice here, also. Seriously. Chaka Khan? Check. Django Django? Check. Grace Jones? Check! M.I.A…London Grammar? Double check! See what we mean? You might want to start making some serious decisions about who you’re willing to miss. Take a look at the line-up poster, it might help you decide (might).

Ones to Watch

Nilüfer Yanya

Nilüfer Yanya hails from West London, and her soulful renditions of the indie-pop persuasion mean that her performances are garnering her more and more attention, including a shortlist spot for the BBC‘s ‘Sound of 2018‘ award. No mean feat for such a young producer. If you like Kate Tempest, then you’ll be all over Nilüfer like a wet cloth. Check her out.

Big Freedia

The Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia, is set to land on our shores and give the people of Bestival a good seeing to. The hip-hop artist, who comes from the New Orleans ‘bounce rap’ scene, takes a quickfire delivery and throws it over the top of some of the most sub-wrecking beats and basslines you’ll hear. Hydraulics, pump it low!

We Are Scientists

We Are Scientists first hit the British public conscious with their debut album With Love and Squalor, which was released in the UK in 2006. 12 years later, and the New Yorkers are still going strong, with their recent album Megaplex, achieving critical acclaim. Check out Heart is a Weapon, definitely a festival anthem waiting to happen, right there…